Published: Monday, October 28, 2013 at 7:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, October 28, 2013 at 7:44 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - The school district could face a lawsuit next year as a result of the alleged impropriety of a former Manatee High football coach.

School Board legal counsel Patricia Petruff confirmed Monday that the family of a student involved in the Rod Frazier investigation has filed a claim that could be recognized as grounds for a lawsuit.

In a letter delivered to Manatee High this year, the student alleged that Frazier asked for a nude photograph and groped her.

Frazier was charged this summer with the unwanted touching of several students and staff members shortly after resigning from his position as parent liaison and assistant football coach at the district's flagship school. He faces seven counts of battery and three counts of interfering with a student's attendance.

An impending lawsuit would be a challenge for an administration that is not only navigating the fallout of a police investigation of Frazier and other administrators, but striving to rebound from severe financial issues that plagued the district last year.

A quiet district inquiry into Frazier's behavior last year eventually led to a police investigation that prompted the state to file felony charges of failure to report child abuse against four school administrators. Those administrators are Assistant Superintendent Bob Gagnon, former Manatee High assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller and former school investigator Debra Horne.

Gagnon, Kane and Faller have also been charged with lying to police.

On Monday, school leaders announced that Gagnon, Kane and Faller have requested administrative hearings to combat the district's intention to fire them for their involvement in the Frazier case. The school district has 15 days to process their request.

Horne and former Assistant Superintendent Scott Martin decided to retire and resign, respectively, after the district announced they would be fired for their handling of the complaints made against Frazier last winter. Their departure from the district was also approved on Monday.

Also at the meeting:

• Though the school district needs to sell land by the end of the year for recovery initiatives that include a sales tax audit and school policy revamp, the School Board rejected a $247,500 bid for a key piece of property Monday.

• Swift Enterprises LLC will not buy the Parent Information Center, a renovated medical office used by the district until recently, that is appraised at $840,000.

“I don't think this is in the best interest of our community, no matter how much we need this money, to accept this offer at this time,” board member Dave Miner said.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - The school district could face a lawsuit next year as a result of the alleged impropriety of a former Manatee High football coach. </p><p>School Board legal counsel Patricia Petruff confirmed Monday that the family of a student involved in the Rod Frazier investigation has filed a claim that could be recognized as grounds for a lawsuit.</p><p>In a letter delivered to Manatee High this year, the student alleged that Frazier asked for a nude photograph and groped her.</p><p>Frazier was charged this summer with the unwanted touching of several students and staff members shortly after resigning from his position as parent liaison and assistant football coach at the district's flagship school. He faces seven counts of battery and three counts of interfering with a student's attendance.</p><p>An impending lawsuit would be a challenge for an administration that is not only navigating the fallout of a police investigation of Frazier and other administrators, but striving to rebound from severe financial issues that plagued the district last year.</p><p>A quiet district inquiry into Frazier's behavior last year eventually led to a police investigation that prompted the state to file felony charges of failure to report child abuse against four school administrators. Those administrators are Assistant Superintendent Bob Gagnon, former Manatee High assistant principals Matthew Kane and Gregg Faller and former school investigator Debra Horne.</p><p>Gagnon, Kane and Faller have also been charged with lying to police.</p><p>On Monday, school leaders announced that Gagnon, Kane and Faller have requested administrative hearings to combat the district's intention to fire them for their involvement in the Frazier case. The school district has 15 days to process their request.</p><p>Horne and former Assistant Superintendent Scott Martin decided to retire and resign, respectively, after the district announced they would be fired for their handling of the complaints made against Frazier last winter. Their departure from the district was also approved on Monday.</p><p>Also at the meeting:</p><p>• Though the school district needs to sell land by the end of the year for recovery initiatives that include a sales tax audit and school policy revamp, the School Board rejected a $247,500 bid for a key piece of property Monday.</p><p>• Swift Enterprises LLC will not buy the Parent Information Center, a renovated medical office used by the district until recently, that is appraised at $840,000.</p><p>“I don't think this is in the best interest of our community, no matter how much we need this money, to accept this offer at this time,” board member Dave Miner said.</p>